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The Halloween History You Don’t Know with Prof. Wendy Fonarow
Halloween, the secret history about the holiday’s pagan roots, and the truth about the strange political and social taboos that we have wrapped the holiday up in are discussed with “indie goddess,” Prof. Wendy Fonarow. We look at how costumes...
Article
History of Halloween
Halloween is among the oldest traditions in the world as it touches on an essential element of the human condition: the relationship between the living and the dead. The observance evolved from ancient rituals marking the transition from...
Definition
Samhain
Samhain (pronounced “SOW-in” or “SAH-win”), was a festival celebrated by the ancient Celts halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It began at dusk around October 31st and likely lasted three days. Samhain marked the transition...
Worksheet/Activity
Halloween Matching Card Game
Here is a little game to introduce Halloween into your social studies class without going off-topic! Instructions and a lesson plan included.Instructions Print the PDF Cut out each of the 8 cards Cut out the parts of the cards that you want...
Definition
Walpurgis Night
Walpurgis Night (30 April, annually) is a modern-day European and Scandinavian festival derived from the merging of the ancient pagan celebration of Beltane with the commemoration of the canonization of the Christian Saint Walpurga (l. c...
Video
The History of Samhain and Halloween!
The history of Halloween goes back thousands of years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. It was celebrated halfway between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice, it started on October 31st at dusk, and probably went for three...
Video
The Celtic Origins of Halloween
In this documentary we explore another one of the Misunderstood Moments in History which has to do with the origin of Halloween. This dates back to the Celtic traditions from the bronze age Hallstatt and later La Tene culture. We discuss...
Video
The Secrets of Samhain: The True History Behind Halloween
The Secrets of Samhain: The True History Behind Halloween Samhain is a pagan religious festival originating from an ancient Celtic spiritual tradition. Samhain translates to “summer’s end” and is usually celebrated from October 31...
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Jack-o'-Lanterns
Pumpkins carved for Halloween.
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Turnip Lantern
On All Hallows Eve, the Irish hollowed out turnips and carved them with faces, placing a candle inside, so that as they went about “souling” on the night when the veil between life and death was thinnest, they would be protected from spirits...